OLDS — Coun. Mary Jane Harper says snow clearing doesn’t seem to happen as quickly in east Olds as it does in west Olds.
She asked why that is during council’s Jan. 11 meeting.
“I just wish that east Olds wasn’t treated as poor cousins and that we get to see them first one of these times,” she said.
“It would be nice to be first in east Olds. We’re on the wrong side of the tracks and I don’t like that.”
Director of operations Scott Chant said there’s no specific protocol that sees streets and avenues in west Olds plowed before those across the tracks.
“We haven’t really determined like, whether this side of town is done first, then the other side of town,” he said. “We don't have a system, I guess, so to speak, is east Olds first this time or last next time. They seem to go in a circle.”
However, Chant did suggest that the number of trucks needed and the distance they have to travel may play a role in that decision.
“We need (fewer) trucks to do the west side of town than when we come to the east side of town," he said.
"It might not seem a big distance when you talk two miles, but when you’re talking one extra truck or two extra trucks, it can make a difference.”
A couple of councillors complimented Chant on the way town crews have plowed snow this season – especially after the Dec. 22 storm, which forced some workers to work through the Christmas season, even a portion of Christmas Eve.
Chant said on that day, some crews worked from 4 a.m. to noon, took the remainder of that day off for Christmas, then worked the remained of the Christmas-New Year’s period from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“I just want to say hats off to your crew and the people who came in, because I’ve had really nothing but overall compliments about the snow removal we’ve had,” Coun. Wanda Blatz said.
Harper also praised the crew for their work.
Chant said staff are always trying to strike “that right balance on our service level” when it comes to snow clearing.
He said according to town policy, “snow will be dealt with when one of the following happens: the roads become impossible or depth of snow, or 20 centimetres or greater snowfall; we met that figure.”
He said residential streets were plowed after the Dec. 22 snow storm because “we did hit that trigger to deem us necessary to go in.”
"No matter what the final number was centimetres-wise, it was apparent that many, many closes especially – and streets – were difficult perhaps for certain vehicles, if you didn’t have a 4 x4 with big winter tires,” mayor Michael Muzychka said.
“It was certain tough to get around in the town.”
Chant said in February he may be able to provide some figures on snow clearing costs to perhaps the end of December.
